1
 
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
   
     We consent to the inclusion in this Amendment No. 1 to the registration
statement on Form S-11 (Registration No. 333-34983) of our reports dated March
25, 1997, except for the first paragraph of Note 1, for which the date is
October 17, 1997, on our audits of the financial statements and financial
statement schedule of Captec Net Lease Realty, Inc. We also consent to the
references to our firm under the captions "Experts" and "Selected Financial
Data."
    
 
   
                                            /s/ COOPERS & LYBRAND, L.L.P.
    
                                            COOPERS & LYBRAND, L.L.P.
 
Detroit, Michigan
   
October 17, 1997